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A vision of care fit for the twenty-first century

September 3 2014

This report published by the Commission on Residential Care offers a vision of housing with care fit for the twenty-first century, not bound by existing definitions but based on the outcomes that people want and value.

The report explores the future of residential care in its broadest sense – from care homes to extra care villages and supported living, for older and disabled people.

One of the most striking findings that the report presents is the sheer impact of negative public perceptions – the public broadly see care settings as places of illness and frailty, where you would only go as a last resort. But despite these perceptions, the sector is full of innovative and excellent examples of high-quality, personalised and empowering care for people with diverse and complex needs.

The Commission recommends a number of measures to embed good practice and challenge public perceptions. These include:

enshrining a broader, more accurate definition of ‘housing with care’ throughout government policy

greater co-location of care settings with other community services such as colleges

the expansion of the Care Quality Commission’s role in inspecting commissioning practices, and

promoting excellence in the profession through the introduction of a license to practice and a living wage.